Operation Round Up
Operation Round UpOperation Round Up is a program in which Verendrye members voluntarily round their monthly electric bills to the nearest dollar. The money is pooled together and grants are made three times a year.
Since 1996 Verendrye members have voluntarily rounded up their monthly electric bills to the nearest dollar to benefit community organizations and people with extraordinary medical expenses.
The program grants about $67,000 a year and has given more than $1 million.
How to Apply
Deadlines to apply for Operation Round Up grants are April 15, August 15 and December 15. Incomplete applications will be rejected. Guidelines and an application are listed below. Applications can be mailed to our Minot office at 1225 Hwy. 2 Bypass East, Minot, ND 58701, dropped off at either our Minot or Velva offices, or e-mailed to Tom Rafferty at tomdr@verendrye.com.
Board Members
There are five board members that decide how to grant Operation Round Up Funds. Current members are President Ashley Bruner, of Drake; Vice President Kristi Howe, Velva; Treasurer Amanda Zietz, Minot; Secretary Sandy Hanretty, Towner and Board Member Laurie Dannewitz, Minot. The board is elected from within Verendrye's Member Advisory Committee.
Guidelines
If the grant request is not for a medical expense, the board typically likes to see requests for tangible items. Grants will not be awarded for operating budgets or for school trips or camp scholarships.
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Funds shall be disbursed in the general service area of VEC solely for charitable, education, scientific, health or safety purposes.
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Organizations must be exempt from Federal Income Taxation under s501 (a) of the Internal Revenue code of 1986 or the corresponding provision of any future Unites States Internal Revenue Code as a corporation described in s501 (c) (3) of the Code.
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No funds of the TRUST shall in any fashion be used to support any candidate for political office or for any political purpose.
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Not more than $2500 will be given annually to any family unit, group, organization, charity, or like organization. Annual individual medical expense grants will not exceed $2,500 and have a lifetime maximum of $5,000. Funding of other agencies annual operating budgets and funding of school trips or scholarships are not eligible for a grant from this trust.
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The Board will not meet less than semiannually to evaluate applications.
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One of the TRUST activities will be tied to the Annual Membership Meeting each June.
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The Board reserves the right to carry over applications to a later meeting depending on fund availability and other factors.
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The board will disperse funds equitably throughout the VEC service area as practical.
